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Touring 
Historic  Jacksonville 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Edited  by 
LILLIAN  IRLAND  DANSKIN 


Published  by 
CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE 

Jacksonville,  Illinois 
1927 


^/';. ,-  . 


A  Century  Old  City 

Classic  Jacksonville  had  her  one  hundredth 
birthday  in  1925.  On  April  26,  1825  the  survey 
of  the  original  plat  of  Jacksonville  was  record- 
ed, and  that  is  considered  the  birthday  of  this 
elm-shaded  city.  This  was  an  important  village 
when  Chicago  was  an  Indian  trading  post.  No 
city  in  Illinois  is  so  rich  in  historic  interest  nor 
so  blessed  with  educational  institutions. 

Let  us  take  a  drive  about  the  streets  of  this 
most  interesting  and  classic  city.  Starting  at  the 
west  side  of  the  square,  on  the  right  hand  is  the 
Ayers  National  Bank,  the  oldest  in  Jacksonville, 
which  was  organized  by  M.  P.  and  A.  E.  Ayers 
in  1852.     It  is  the  second  in  point  of  age  in  the 

^  State. 

a      In  driving  up  West  State  Street,  one  follows 

%  the  old  State  road,  which  was  the  highway  be- 
tween S'pringfield,  Naples,  and  Meredosia,  and 
other  points  on  the  IlHnois  River.     This  was  the 

\^  main  artery  of  travel  then.  Note  the  way  the 
land  slopes  down  each  way  from  the  street, 
showing  how  the  main  roads  followed  the  high- 
est points. 

Out  this  state  road  July  4th,  1861,  marched 
Colonel  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  with  his  raw  regiment, 
the  21st  Illinois  Infantry.  They  camped  at  the 
Fair  Grounds,  just  west  of  the  Illinois  School  for 
the  Deaf,  and  there  Colonel  Grant  watched  his 

3 

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soldiers    and    kept    bootleggers    from    selling 
whiskey  to  them. 

One  block  west  of  the  square  stands  the  third 
Morgan  County  court  house,  built  in  1868.  Here 
may  be  seen  a  tablet  to  Stephen  A.  Douglas  who 
located  in  Jacksonville  in  1834,  and  was  the 
first  state's  attorney.  Here  he  was  first  called 
'The  Little  Giant."  From  this  town  he  was  sent 
to  the  legislature  in  1836. 

In  the  same  block,  opposite  the  New  Dunlap 
Hotel,  stands  a  building  with  wrought  iron  trim- 
ming around  the  porches.  This  was  an  early 
tavern  in  the  old  days. 

At  the  next  corner  there  is  the  unusual  sight 
of  a  church  on  each  of  the  four  corners.  On  the 
northeast,  State  Street  Presbyterian;  southeast. 
Trinity  Episcopal  (the  oldest  Episcopal  church 
in  Illinois)  ;  northwest,  the  First  Baptist,  and  on 
the  southwest,  Grace  Methodist  Episcopal.  On 
the  cite  of  this  handsome  stone  edifice  stood  the 
pioneer  home  of  Dr.  Ero  Chandler,  the  first  phy- 
sician in  Jacksonville. 

In  the  next  block  we  see  the  new  $300,000.00 
Newton  Bateman  Memorial  High  School,  named 
for  one  of  Jacksonville's  most  noted  citizens. 
He  was  an  early  graduate  of  Illinois  College  and 
later  principal  of  the  first  district  school,  built 
on  the  site  of  this  fine  high  school.  He  was 
State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  from 
1858  to  1863,  and  in  that  time  organized  the 
public  school  system  of  Illinois.  Later  he  was 
for  years  president  of  Knox  College. 

About  two  blocks  west  on  the  south  side  of 
5 


the  street,  near  the  corner  of  Westminster, 
stands  the  modest  house  which  was  the  home  of 
the  second  Richard  Yates — the  third  governor 
Jacksonville  gave  to  Illinois.  He  was  born  and 
raised  in  this  city,  and  was  governor  from  1901 
to  1905. 

In  the  next  block,  the  house  at  907  was  the 
home  of  Newton  Bateman.  At  1019  West  State 
stands  the  former  home  of  Porter  Clay,  brother 
of  the  famous  Henry  Clay.  He  lived  here  in 
1830,  and  was  one  of  the  first  directors  of  the 
"Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum"  which  was  provided 
for  in  a  bill  passed  by  the  legislature  in  1838-39. 

A  few  blocks  farther  west  the  tour  ap- 
proaches Duncan  Park — named  for  the  first 
governor  Jacksonville  gave  to  Illinois — Gov. 
Joseph  Duncan,  who  served  from  1834  to  1838. 
He  was  also  congressman  and  secured  to  the 
State  of  Illinois  from  Wisconsin,  the  northern 
strip  on  which  Chicago  stands,  thus  giving  Illi- 
nois a  lake  port.  His  beautiful  home  which 
stands  back  in  the  park,  and  is  now  the  Chapter 
House  of  the  Rev.  James  Caldwell  Chapter, 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  was 
built  in  the  late  30's,  and  is  little  changed  since 
he  lived  there.  It  is  one  of  the  very  few  homes 
of  early  governors  yet  standing  in  the  State. 
The  outside  weather-boards  are  of  solid  black 
walnut.  In  this  house  Martin  VanBuren  (Presi- 
dent in  1837),  Abraham  Lincoln,  Stephen  A. 
Douglas,  Daniel  Webster,  and  many  other  men 
of  national  reputation  were  entertained  with 
lavish  southern  hospitality. 

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Coming  out  of  the  park  at  the  corner  of  Web- 
ster Avenue  and  West  State  Street,  one  may 
look  north  two  blocks  to  Lafayette  Avenue, 
where  in  June  1837,  Daniel  Webster  spoke 
under  a  magnificent  elm  which  ''tho'  lost  to 
sight"  is  still  **to  memory  dear." 

At  the  west  side  of  Webster  Avenue  stands 
the  fine  Illinois  School  for  the  Deaf.  Provided 
for  by  an  act  of  the  legislature  in  1838-39,  with 
the  munificent  fund  of  $1,500.00  appropriated, 
it  was  not  built  until  1843.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest 
and  largest  schools  for  the  deaf  in  the  United 
States  and  has  had,  for  most  of  its  history,  men 
of  fine  vision  and  culture  to  direct  it.  There  are 
about  five  hundred  pupils,  with  a  teaching  force 
of  fifty  instructors. 

Turning  east  now,  on  West  College  Avenue, 
one  passes  the  site  of  the  home  of  William  J. 
Bryan,  who  was  graduated  from  Illinois  College 
in  1881,  was  married  and  practiced  law  here, 
later  removing  to  Lincoln,  Nebraska.  A  large 
granite  boulder  marks  this  site. 

In  the  next  block  on  the  south  stands  the 
beautiful  campus  and  buildings  of  Illinois  Col- 
lege— the  oldest  college  west  of  the  Alleghanies 
— chartered  in  1829.  Beecher  Hall,  named  for 
the  first  president,  Edward  Beecher — a  brother 
of  Henry  Ward  Beecher  and  Harriet  Beecher 
Stowe — is  still  in  use.  From  this  college  three 
governors  of  Illinois,  a  candidate  three  times  for 
president,  lawyers,  judges,  presidents  of  col- 
leges, congressmen,  and  noted  divines  have  been 
graduated  with  honors.     William  Herndon,  Lin- 

9 


coin's  law  partner,  was  a  student  here  in  1837. 
In  1929  the  college  will  celebrate  its  one  hun- 
dredth anniversary. 

In  the  block  opposite  the  college,  at  1162 
West  College  Avenue,  stood  the  home  of  Jona- 
than B.  Turner.  He  was  the  father  of  the  bill 
providing  for  land  grant  universities,  and  intro- 
duced the  Osage  orange  hedge  to  the  western 
pioneers  who  could  not  afford  to  build  fences. 

Several  blocks  farther  east,  one  passes  the 
beautiful  campus  of  Academy  Hall,  now  the 
girls'  dormitory  of  Illinois  College,  but  founded 
in  1830,  and  then  called  the  Jacksonville  Female 
Academy.  Notice  the  magnificent  sweep  of  the 
elm  trees  on  this  campus.  From  this  school  Mrs. 
W.  J.  Bryan,  then  Mary  Baird,  was  graduated 
in  1881. 

In  the  next  block,  at  344  stands  the  former 
home  of  Judge  William  E.  Thomas,  who  taught 
the  first  school  in  the  town  in  1826,  his  salary 
being  raised  by  subscriptions.  He  paid  $1.00  a 
week  for  board,  washing  and  fuel — paid  in 
pork,  cattle  or  produce. 

At  the  corner  of  South  Main  and  West  College 
Avenue  stood  the  house  in  which  Ellen  Hardin 
Walworth  was  born.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
General  John  J.  Hardin,  who  fell  at  the  battle 
of  Buena  Vista,  Mexico,  in  1847.  She  was  one 
of  the  three  founders  of  the  National  Society, 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  and  a 
fine  marble  tablet  on  the  building  which  stands 
here,  has  been  erected  to  her  memory  by  the 
local  chapter. 

11 


Turning  south,  at  this  corner  on  Main  Street, 
one  is  following  the  old  road  which  led  in 
pioneer  days  to  Vandalia,  the  State  capitol,  and 
to  St.  Louis. 

A  mile  south  of  the  square  is  located  the  Jack- 
sonville State  Hospital  for  the  Insane.  In  1846 
Dorothea  Dix  the  noted  philanthropist,  visited 
Jacksonville  to  assist  in  establishing  a  hospital 
for  the  insane.  The  result  of  her  earnest  and 
spirited  efforts  was  the  creation  of  the  present 
hospital  by  the  Illinois  Legislature  of  1847.  It 
lies  in  a  beautiful  160  acre  tract  of  land,  and  the 
numerous  buildings  house  patients  and  attend- 
ants to  the  number  of  almost  3,500. 

Of  less  historic  interest,  but  of  great  value  as 
a  city's  play  ground  is  beautiful  Nichols  Park 
which  lies  about  a  mile  southeast  of  the  State 
Hospital.  This  lovely  spot,  with  its  lakes,  golf 
links,  municipal  swimming  pool,  flower  gardens 
and  fine  trees,  was  the  gift  of  Samuel  W. 
Nichols,  who  is  living  still  to  receive  the  thanks 
a  grateful  city  renders  him. 

Returning  north,  to  the  corner  of  College  Ave- 
nue, and  South  Main  Street,  one  turns  east  and 
at  the  southeast  corner  of  College  Avenue  and 
Mauvaisterre  Street  stands  an  old  building 
which  is  interesting  because  it  was  the  birth- 
place of  Charles  Ray,  the  movie  actor.  Next  is 
the  site  of  the  first  school  taught  in  the  city  by 
WilKam  E.  Thomas. 

Turning  north  at  Clay  Avenue,  the  tourist 
passes  along  one  side  of  the  campus  of  the  Illi- 
nois Woman's  College,  which  claims  to  be  the 

13 


largest  college  under  one  roof  in  the  United 
States.  It  was  chartered  in  1847  as  the  Illinois 
Conference  Female  Academy,  and  in  1852  was 
re-chartered  as  a  Female  College.  It  is  still 
under  the  supervision  of  the  Methodist  Church 
and  is  a  fine  institution  with  about  five  hundred 
students  from  all  parts  of  the  United  States. 

Just  east  of  the  Woman's  College  stands  Routt 
College,  a  Catholic  institution,  which  is  co-edu- 
cational. Across  the  street  stands  Our  Savior's 
Hospital,  under  the  control  of  the  Order  of  the 
Holy  Cross.  This  site  is  historically  interesting 
because  the  east  part  of  the  building  was  the 
home  of  the  War  Governor  of  Illinois,  Richard 
Yates.  Here  he  lived,  and  here  the  younger 
Yates  was  born.  The  elder  Yates  died  in  St. 
Louis,  Mo.,  November  28,  1873,  but  his  widow 
and  family  occupied  this  home  for  many  years 
after  his  death. 

In  the  next  block  east  stands  Passavant  Hos- 
pital. On  this  site  stood  the  home  of  General 
John  J.  Hardin,  from  whence  he  went  to  die  on 
a  Mexican  battle  field.  He  secured  in  1839,  the 
passage  of  the  first  local  option  liquor  law  in 
Illinois.  This  was  also  the  site  of  the  first  ser- 
mon in  Morgan  County — preached  by  Rev.  Jos. 
Easey,  a  Methodist  Episcopal  minister. 

Next  east,  after  crossing  the  tracks  of  the 
Chicago  &  Alton  and  C,  B.  &  Q.  railroads,  the 
State  School  for  the  Blind  appears.  In  1847  a 
blind  man,  Samuel  Bacon,  came  to  Jacksonville 
to  interest  citizens  in  a  school  for  the  blind.  He 
was  told  to  get  some  pupils  together  and  show 

15 


ACADKMV   JiALI.,    ILLIX(JIS  COLLKCK  (JIRl.S'    I  K  tRM  !'!'(  :  i:  Y 


what  could  be  done.  After  an  exhibition  be- 
fore the  legislature,  they  passed  a  bill  establish- 
ing the  "Illinois  Institution  for  the  Education  of 
the  Blind."  This  was  the  fourth  school  of  its 
kind  to  be  opened  in  the  United  States.  Since 
1849,  thousands  of  pupils  have  graduated  and 
gone  out  to  live  useful  lives  in  their  home  com- 
munities. 

Farther  east  about  two  blocks,  stands  the  for- 
mer home  of  Brigadier  General  Benjamin  Grier- 
son,  of  the  United  States  Army,  who  saw  valiant 
service  in  the  Civil  War  and  in  the  Indian  up- 
risings, and  who  made  the  celebrated  raid  with- 
in the  enemies'  lines  in  Mississippi  during  the 
Civil  War. 

In  Central  Park  stood  the  first  and  second 
court  houses  of  Morgan  County.  The  latter  w^as 
a  brick  building  costing  $4,000.00  and  it  stood 
in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  park.  In  this 
building  Abraham  Lincoln,  Stephen  A.  Douglas, 
Governor  Joseph  Duncan,  and  other  intellectual 
giants  practiced  law. 

Jacksonville  was  a  noted  station  on  the 
''Underground  Railroad."  In  the  early  thirties 
Ebenezer  Carter,  Jonathan  B.  Turner,  Elihu 
Wolcott,  D.  B.  Ayers,  Samuel  Adams,  Daniel  C. 
Pierson  and  Dr.  M.  M.  L.  Reed  were  very  active, 
as  were  some  students  at  Illinois  College.  The 
farm  home  of  Ebenezer  Carter,  south  of  town, 
was  an  important  local  station,  and  many  Vv^ere 
the  slaves  who  found  refuge  and  succor  there. 

In  June,  1832,  William  Cullen  Bryant  visited 
his  brothers  who  lived  in  Jacksonville.     He  re- 

17 


ported  the  buildings  here  were  better  than  those 
in  Springfield. 

In  1833  was  organized  the  Ladies'  Society  for 
the  Promotion  of  Education  of  Females.  This 
was  the  first  Woman's  Club  in  the  United  States 
and  the  first  club  in  the  world  to  be  officered  by 
women,  and  is  in  existence  today,  now  being 
called  "The  Ladies'  Education  Society." 

In  1836  Rev.  Peter  Akers  organized  the  Eben- 
ezer  Manual  Labor  School,  near  Ebenezer 
Church.  This  was  the  first  Methodist  Theo- 
logical school  in  America  and  the  first  manual 
training  school  in  Illinois.  In  1843  the  first 
medical  school  in  Illinois  was  established  as  a 
department  of  Illinois  College. 

In  1837,  the  Illinois  Teachers'  Association 
was  organized  at  Illinois  College  commence- 
ment. This  was  the  first  organization  of 
teachers  in  Illinois. 

Another  unique  institution  is  the  Woolen  Mills 
of  J.  Capps  &  Sons,  founded  in  1839.  It  is  said 
to  be  the  only  mill  in  the  United  States  where 
they  take  the  raw  wool  in  at  one  end  of  the  mill 
and  turn  it  out  a  finished  suit  of  clothes  at  the 
other  end.  The  grandsons  of  the  founder  are 
the  managers  and  owners. 

In  1849  Jacksonville  became  the  refuge  of 
350  Portuguese  Colonists  who  fled  from  relig- 
ious persecution  in  the  Island  of  Madeira.  In 
1852,  211  more  came  and  in  1855,  274  more. 
These  people  have  been  largely  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  the  Northminster  Pres- 
byterian church  is  now  the  lineal  descendent  of 

19 


a  Presbyterian  church  formed  in  1845  in  Ma- 
deira. 

Of  later  historical  interest,  following  the 
World  War,  the  first  band  of  Gold  Star  Mothers 
was  organized  in  Jacksonville,  which  now  is  a 
National  organization. 

Jacksonville  had  the  first  open  air  school 
(outside  of  Cook  County)  in  Illinois,  opened  in 
January,  1915. 

It  also  had  the  first  full-time  County  health 
officer — beginning  in  May,  1922. 

Entering  Jacksonville  from  the  east  on  Routes 
10  and  3  the  tourist  passes  the  Oak  Lawn  Sani- 
tarium— Morgan  County's  tuberculosis  sani- 
tarium. Leaving  Jacksonville,  going  west  on 
Route  36,  one  passes  the  beautiful  and  com- 
modious Norbury  Sanatorium,  a  private  hospital 
for  nervous  diseases. 


S\\IMMIXG  POOL.   NICHOLS   PARK 


21 


O,  Jacksonville,  fair  Jacksonville, 
Thy  history  thrills  our  hearts : 

May  we,  as  those  of  olden  time, 

Be  strong  to  make  thy  pages  bright, 
Till  our  brief  days  are  done. 


23 


HEADS  OF  IXSTITUTIOXS 

Mayor E.   E.   Crabtree 

Mayor-elect J.J.  Reeve 

Superintendent  of  Schools Ben  F.  Shafer 

Illinois  State  School  for  Deaf Col.  John  Reig 

Jacksonville  State  Hospital Dr.  E.  L.  Hill 

Illinois  School  for  Blind Robert  W.  Woolston 

Illinois  College C.  H.  Rammelkamp,  President 

Illinois  Woman's  College.  .  .  .C.  P.  McClelland,  President 
Routt  College Father  Costello 


SERVICE  CLUBS 

Business  and  Professional  Women.  .  .Jennie  C.  Rabjohns 

Rotary  Club Harry  M.  Andre 

Kiwanis John  Larson 

Lions H.    H.   Vasconcellos 

Triangle John    Murray 


25 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 

917  7346D23T  C001 

TOURING  HISTORIC  JACKSONVILLE  JACKSONVIL 


